Gas stations fined for price gouging

TALLAHASSEE -- The state agency that monitors Florida's retail gasoline outlets fined 53 stations $86,000 Wednesday for jacking up their prices at the pump following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The fines ranged from $500 to $10,000, which was levied on Davis Texaco in Pensacola for boosting its price by 50 cents a gallon after the attacks on the two World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon.

Five other stations were hit with $5,000 fines for hiking prices between 30 and 39 cents a gallon.

"If you exploit our citizens in an emergency, you will pay a price," state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson said Wednesday.

However, officials at Pensacola-based TriCo Oil -- the owner of a retail group of service stations and convenience stores that includes Davis Texaco-- were still waiting to hear something from the state Wednesday.

"The first I heard of it was when our newspaper called me this morning," said Cheryl Hurd, regional manager for the company." I was surprised it came out without somebody in our company being notified first."

Hurd said Davis Texaco lowered its price within an hour after they were raised.

"We immediately corrected the problem," said Hurd, who referred to the initial price hike as a misunderstanding. "All the reports were turned over to the state."

Terence McElroy, spokesman for the agriculture department, said all violators would receive the appropriate paperwork from the state in the next few days.

Bronson and Attorney General Bob Butterworth issued 75 subpoenas for records from the gas stations following price-gouging complaints from consumers. Nine stations were not fined, but will receive warning letters from Bronson.

Besides the fines, the stations are liable for refunds to any customers who have a receipt or form of proof of purchase at the inflated price. They also must sign an agreement promising not to violate the state's price-gouging statute in the future.

Violators are subject to civil penalties of $1,000 per violation up to a total of $25,000 for multiple violations committed during a single 24-hour period.